i am so done with this program

There are things you learn from being Viktor Nikiforov’s coach, things that no other student will teach you.

“This is an emergency!” A sixteen-year-old Viktor screeches into his ear when Yakov picks up the phone.

“Vitya,” Yakov says, old heart speeding up. “Vitya, are you okay? Was there an accident? Who died?”

“An accident, this is a disaster, Yakov! I told them exactly what to do with my program outfit and they didn’t listen. They screwed up the lace, Yakov, don’t they understand what that’s supposed to represent–”

“Vitya,” Yakov says, “It is 3am in the morning. I am going back to bed.”

By the time Viktor is nineteen, Yakov is an expert in handling Viktor Nikiforov’s “emergencies.” Emergencies that, somehow, he believes only his coach capable of handling.

“Help, it’s an emergency,” Viktor whispers into the phone at eighteen. “Stephane Lambiel is so hot, Yakov, and his program this year–”

Yakov. Is. Done. When Viktor bursts into the rink at twenty, tears glistening in his beautiful blue eyes, dragging a hundred pound Makkachin with him, Yakov does not even blink. “YAKOV IT’S AN EMERGENCY, SHE IS BLEEDING YAKOV–”

“You clipped her nails too short, you fool, we’ll wrap it up and she’ll be fine.”

When Viktor Nikiforov is twenty-four, has two perfect seasons under his belt, the emergencies slow. Yakov does not miss them. He assumes his skater is finally growing up.

When Viktor Nikiforov is twenty-six, Yakov finds him sleeping on a rink bench. When he’s not skating he stares off, almost blank. When Viktor Nikiforov is twenty-six Yakov swings by his apartment to drop off his skating bag because he forgot it at the rink, again, and he finds Viktor crying, sitting straight up on his couch, TV off. When he talks to him, he realizes Viktor wasn’t even aware of the tears.

“Viktor,” he says, as gently as his face and voice can allow, “is this an emergency? How can I help you?”

“It’s fine,” Viktor says. “I’m fine.”

So often, when Viktor speaks, Yakov does not believe him.

Things change, at the rink. Yakov tries to make sure they do. Things get a little better. There are no emergencies.

Yakov is resting on a chair in the corner at the banquet of the Sochi GPF, exhausted by small talk and schmoozing with sponsors. He is ready to go to bed.

I1: After getting 5th in the short, how did you get over it and have a strong mentality for the free (literal translation: how did you switch your feelings)??

Y: I actually did not prepare myself mentally (literal translation: I did not switch my feelings), and it was my fans’ voices and the voices of support from my team that motivated me.

I1: You said you felt as if you were the wind and you were flowing in a river and that you were part of nature, but when exactly was it that you felt this way?

Y: It was during the steps before my first quad loop when I felt as if my consciousness was melting away.

I1: When you say melting away, do you mean like how you felt like the wind during your performance?

Y: Hmm yes, I felt as if I was floating.

I1: Everyone’s been saying your 4S3T is one of your biggest points, how did you feel about it?

Y: I was very nervous, especially because when I missed it in the short program, I didn’t feel any doubt going into it.

I1: You had an injury this season and even though I assume you probably struggled with that, you said that you are your biggest rival. I am just very curious on why your motivation is so high!

Y: There’s still so many things I have to work on, and during every single one of my performances I think, “Oh this time this was bad, that was bad”.

I2: Yuzuru, well done! (Otsukaresamadeshita!)

Y: Thank you so much.

I2: We saw that you hugged Javier, but were you able to tell him anything?

Y: (stumbles a bit calculating years) 2 years ago when I couldn’t win for the second time in a row, and last year when I was very frustrated, Javier was able to make me feel better, and this time I told him the same exact words that he told me during those times.

I1: Was Shoma a good presence for you in this competition?

Y: Yes, of course, he is so good, and he is improving consistently, one step at a time, so competitions are so exciting with him.

I1: Again, Shoma, congratulations. After that devastating result last year, I’m sure you practiced very much this season. Being able to stabilize two new quads this season, I think you practiced a LOT, right?

S: Last season, I practiced way too much which was why I wasn’t mentally prepared for the pressure at competitions, so things did not go my way. So if I was asked if I practiced more this season than last season, I don’t think I did. However, this season, I really think during each practice, and the quality of each practice session has changed, and I believe the result of this competition really showed that.

I1: Wow, you practiced less on purpose! I saw that you watched Yuzuru’s performance and scores before your free. How did you feel stepping onto the ice for your free?

S: I knew for sure that Japan would safely get 3 Olympic spots, so I was determined to just do my own performance.

I1: So you were really conscious of the spots then?

S: Yes, I definitely thought that was the most important thing, and my goal to avenge for last year was only my second priority. So I was able to skate very lightheartedly after seeing Yuzuru skate like that.

I2: When you entered the green room, we saw that you two hugged and you told Yuzuru, “It was because of you, Yuzu-kun!” How did Yuzuru support you?

S: Well I felt a lot of pressure because of the spots, and as I said before, that was my number one priority, and I am very happy that we have 3 spots for next season, and of course, because of the heart-strengthening presence of Yuzuru, I was able to skate like I did.

I1: (to Yuzuru) Was it the first time you felt as if you were the wind/you were flowing in a river?

Y: Yes, that was the first time.

I1: We saw some exhibition footage, and rumors are going around that you tried jumping the 4A.

Y: Nope, no I did not. I kept trying to revenge the 3A, as I really wanted to land a nice 3A… I’m so sorry, I apologize!

I1: And Shoma, we heard you were trying the 4Lz?

S: Yep, indeed I was.

I1: Is it because you’re gonna try to do it in the Pyeongchang Olympics?

S: Well, this was the first time I ever tried it and it was merely for fun, so please don’t expect anything from it!

I3: Well done, Yuzu! Man, after the short program I did not know what to expect!

Y: Haha, sorry.

I3: Your axis was a little off wasn’t it?

Y: Yes, it was.

I3: And you made sure and adjusted it to perfect it in the free right?

Y: Yes.

I3: This shows that you really are Hanyu Yuzuru, the ‘Jumping Genius’.

Y: Thank you. Well, in reality I wasn’t really thinking about the axis, I was more conscious of the entrance. Actually, I didn’t feel any doubt going into the jump when I missed it in my short, so I just decided to believe in myself and went for it.

I3: Your free made everyone in the world emotional. It was absolutely amazing.

Y: Thank you very much.

I1: Next season is Olympics, how do you think the competition will be at Pyeongchang?

Y: I believe it will be the exact extension of this competition. After experiencing this competition, I really really felt a ‘pre-Olympic season’ vibe. Because we have so many talented skaters going into the Olympics, with many bringing in new elements, it will come down to how consistent we are as we are right now, and how high the perfection will be even with the new elements. I believe this next period will be very exciting.

I1: Are you planning to include a new quad?

Y: Right now, I am thinking about it. After this competition, I feel very accomplished that I was able to skate perfectly with four quads, and it gave me a lot of confidence, so I will see based on how I practice from now on.

I1: We’ve heard that you were saying that there isn’t even a scoring system for quints.

Y: I don’t think myself personally is going that high yet, but skaters like Boyang, Nathan, and Vincent who won Junior Worlds this season and can do a 4Lz with his hands over his head… These skaters are doing crazy stuff in juniors, so I believe there might be a scoring system for quints after the Olympics.

I1: Shoma, going into this Olympic season, there is a big big wall in front of you named Yuzuru, how are you going into this next season?

S: Well, Yuzuru isn’t a wall for me, he is more of my goal, as I’ve been practicing with Yuzu-kun as my ultimate goal, and I will be, even from now on, practicing with Yuzu-kun as my ultimate goal.

Y: Thank you.

I1: Yuzuru, to conclude, as this has been a very proud, emotional night for all the fans in Japan, please say a message to all of the fans.

Y: All of Team Japan has fought very hard for our spots for the Olympics. The three spots were something we won over. As a team, we would like to continue doing our best heading towards the Olympics.

The Power of Intention

“If you are focused with laser precision on what you want and are taking action to move towards it, you’ll get it.”

“Instead of saying weak comments like, ‘I don’t know if I can get this done’, start using empowering statements such, ‘I am committed to having the best month of my life.’”

Visualization

“By getting in the habit of tapping into where you will be one year from now and going to that spot through visualization, you will be rewiring your subconscious– increasing your belief in yourself and seeing your success as possible.”

Meditation

“When meditating, you should bring an image of your dream or goal to mind so that it can be planted in the fertile soil of the subconscious, programming plans for you to achieve it.”

Productivity > Busy Work

“You should be identifying your daily Most Important Task (MIT) and tackling it first.”

In a rink reverberating with music and the sounds of blades against the ice, quiet surrounded Hanyu. –– Takaomi Matsubara

Despite still trolling with one single 3A, the brat (you’ll see) shows his tender side (you’ll also see) in his pursuit of figure skating mastery and ideals…This is quintessential Hanyu––calm, confident and thoughtful as he discusses the Olympics, his programs and the significance and meaning of skating itself. - gladi.

Translated by gladi. Please do not repost without permission. Images belong to Number.

From Number Issue 934-935. Published on 2017.08.24

Contending for successive Olympic victories, the champion––Yuzuru Hanyu. Programs for the season have been decided, preparation is steadily underway. At his training base in Toronto, Hanyu talked about his thoughts on the Pyeongchang Olympics, and the ideal skate he continues to seek.

When the knock falls on his door in the middle of the afternoon, Chowder is so grateful for the distraction from his homework he could cry.

He gets up, opens the door, and smiles–it’s Farmer, and she has a cardboard tray with two carry-out cups from Annie’s in her left hand. Kissing her briefly in greeting, he grabs one of the coffee cups. (It doesn’t matter which he takes, since they both drink it the same way anyway-no cream, two sugars.)

“You just saved my life, Cait,” Chowder informs her, sitting back down in his chair as she sits cross-legged on the bed. “I’m pretty sure another two minutes of staring at this screen and I’d, like, snap. Like those people on the news who are just, you know, postal workers or whatever, but then one day out of nowhere they try to stab a nun or something.”

APPS WHICH WILL HELP YOU GET YOUR SHIT DONE

Hands down my favourite program. Basically, it sets a timer on your computer, forcing you to take breaks at regular intervals. It’ll force you to do so by blacking out your screen and disabling any running programs. You can set alerts and the automated voice can yell the fucking time at you.

The most useful feature of this program is the use of mini-breaks, which dims your screen at regular intervals. What I find useful is that it helps me assess how effectively i’m using my time. If all I’ve done is dick around on tumblr since the last time my screen blacked out, then fuck, I need to move on to another task because clearly I am procrastinating (albeit like a boss).

You know your long ass to do list? This app will let you make a long ass to do list - but you can have alarms at the end of each task. You can set the time for each task, queue them up, and you’re good to go!

Basically, Self Control works as a website blocker which stops you from accessing certain sites for a set period of time. You can create a list of your most visited websites (e.g. youtube, tumblr, facebook…all the usual procrastination staples) and block the for up to 24 hours. Uninstalling the program will not work - you still have to wait for the allocated time to pass!

THINGS YOU CAN DO

3-2-1 Method: If I’ve got a whole day (and night) of study I break it down into different sessions. My first study session will be for three hours (with 10 min breaks between each hour), then I’ll take a longer break for a meal or something. Then I’ll study for two hours. Break. Then one. Repeat.

Lists: On my very veryunproductive days, I list out all the things I need to do and break them down into small chunks. I try to complete as much as I can within the hour. After a small break, I start another hour study session. The goal? To complete more tasks than I did in the hour before. So even if I only get one thing done in the first hour, at the very least, by the end of the second hour, I’ll have completed two things.

Do small things first: if you have a large list of items to do, do a succession of the less time consuming tasks first. It’s a real confidence booster to be able to cross off 3 things from your list within the first hour, and may give you the motivation to power through the rest of your day. And heck, even if the rest of the day ends in a netflix spiral, at least you’ve got those three things done!

Find another way to study the same content: sometimes, lack of productivity may come down to an inability to engage with content (aka the shit you’re studying is boring). Mix things up - record your notes on a mic, draw mindmaps, colour code things! Keep yourself engaged - studying isnt all about wrote memorisation and copying notes. Same shit, different day? NOT TODAY.

Do not disturb: Short of throwing your phone out of the window, put your phone on do not disturb mode. Heck, if you can bear it, put it in another room.

Make sure you know wtf you need to get done: This may involve making a list etc. I find that where I don’t have set goals, im more likely to procrastinate (as the impending doom of the deadlines has not forced its way down my throat yet).

So you’ve drawn your lineart, and now you want to colour!! Usually when you use the fill bucket tool in FireAlpaca, it turns out something like this:

The white pixels between the line and the colour is pretty obvious, and just looks messy if you zoom out- Especially with certain colours, it becomes pretty darn apparent, The only way to fix this would be by colouring around the edges (time consuming) or completely colouring by hand (even MORE time consuming)- Unless you use the
・ﾟ✧
expand pixel tool
✧ﾟ・

It’s right up here in your brush settings toolbar!! The expand pixel tool will show up when you have the fill bucket selected, and once clicked you can choose from 0-3!

I personally like 3, but I’m gonna guess that if you’re doing precise, thin, line work the lower options may be better!

Once you’ve done this, your results should turn out a bit more like:

Ta-da!! No more pesky white pixels to make your artwork look sloppy and take up all your time!! There are probably better examples for this, but yep! I can’t believe I never noticed it until it was pointed out but I guess that’s what I get for never researching how to use my art programs lmao

Just a few very interesting bits, not up to a full translation of that 100+ page book of course:

Kyo:

At first, when he decided to be in a band, he wanted to play guitar, but he never became a guitar player just because nobody around could teach him. (Sort of contradictory to past interviews where, if I recall correctly, he had said he would have played the bass…)

Kyo knew, or guessed at least, that there would be people both within the fans but also within Dir en grey members who would react to him starting sukekiyo as: “Is he leaving Dir en grey?” “Won’t that reduce the time of Dir en grey tours?” “Won’t that put too much pressure on his throat?” But he is very confident in his throat’s condition at the moment, he basically seems to find that it is doing very well even since sukekiyo’s debut.

He hates reading books, especially since/most likely due to being forced to read books in front of everyone in school. From this hate, he highlights two very ironic things: 1) he hates Japanese because it is “so deep”(?) and 2) he actually hates standing in public, which he recognises makes no sense considering what he does as a career hahah. That explains the awkward VIP meet&greets in North America and Europe too…

As sort of known/expected, he really dislikes happy things, like happy movies. This is ultimately because he cannot relate to those stories at all, he says that he never experienced that himself so it makes no sense that there would be a happy ending where everything is just normal for the character.

Very interesting perspective of Dir en grey vs. sukekiyo: Dir en grey’s poetry world view is written as toward or involving the world, whereas sukekiyo’s can be said to target ONE person. And, of course, that man (Dir en grey) vs. woman (sukekiyo) theme too.

Eh, he feels that fans like DUM SPIRO SPERO and THE MARROW OF A BONE the least…?! He finds that they think the former’s world view is too dark, while THE MARROW OF A BONE is too hardcore.

He is ashamed that he has to read his own lyrics during lives, from what I understand. He seems to attribute that to age, or experience?

The interviewer actually went ahead and dared to ask why Kyo used to cut himself during performances. He answered that with the way the band was and how he was doing “THE STALIN” back then too, they would have appeared as “fake” if he did not do something ike that. He said that it did hurt to sing while cutting his throat, because even if blood did not get expelled by his mouth, it bled elsewhere anyway. He did not seem necessarily proud of that, but did not regret it either, knowing that Dir en grey would not be what it is today without that phase. Apparently his manager at DYNAMITE TOMMY also somewhat jokingly asked him if he could do it at each show, which is a challenge he accepted…? I am not sure on that one.

Again, the neverending dilemma of never being satisfied with himself or anything resurfaced. He reiterated that if he got to a point where he was satisfied, then he would have no reason to live anymore. Therefore, he must always change himself too, because he gets bored of what he sees in the mirror after just a few months, which explains why he has a different style in each tour these days. (The interviewer mentioned how Dir en grey’s visuals changed a lot in all those years of existence, but Kyo’s was the one that varied drastically and often.)

About MCs: apparently he used to do some years ago, but at some point he felt like that was not good for Dir en grey, and even the other members said “No, no MCs” eventually, it seems. However, there has to be a period for guitar tuning anyway, therefore he pondered what could be done during that time and that is why he ended up with INWARD SCREAM, to transition from one song’s atmosphere to the other, without breaking the moment.

(from the same magazine hah.)

I have not read the other members’ interviews yet, but it will be awesome if they are just as interesting. Do note, however, that I am not fluent in Japanese, so let me know if there are any mistakes and I will correct them as soon as possible.

Now all that is left to know is how much Kyo works out and what his program is hahah.

Sole being pretty insecure about their body and the companions reactions + comfort. (love your blog btw the writing is spot on 💜)

Cait: “You?” She stares at them. “You’re one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever met,” she states, blunt as ever. It doesn’t even seem like she’s giving a compliment. It’s more like she’s stating a fact. “You picked me up out of the gutter and saw somethin’ in me I’d never seen in myself. If that doesn’t make you gorgeous, heart and soul, I don’t fuckin’ know what will.”

Codsworth: “Mx. Sole,” he assures them, with a delicate pat of his claw on their shoulder. “You are the most lovely person I have had the pleasure of meeting. And I mean that. That’s not just my programming.” He chuckles heartily. “You are kind, and lovely, and have done so much for me. I’d hate to see you fuss over something already wonderful.”

Curie: She claps her hands to her cheeks, looking distraught. “Sole!” she exclaims, and reaches for them. “Do not say such things! You are- you are so good, inside and out. Healthy, and strong, and beautiful in my eyes. Perhaps my opinion means little, for I am not human. But you are my greatest friend, and my heart sings for you.”

Danse: “You-” He sets his jaw, stifling some kind of emotion that tints his cheeks pink. “… You look lovely,” he says at last. He ruffles a hand through his hair, looking embarrassed, but presses on. “It is unfair and unkind to say otherwise, regardless of what anyone else thinks. There is no reason to be insecure about who you are. You are you, and that is enough.”

Deacon: “Aw, no, Sole, look.” He takes their hands and brings them to a mirror. “Don’t be like that, come on. Look here.” He takes Sole’s hands and makes them touch each embarrassing imperfection. “See that? Beautiful. And that? Beautiful. And that? Well, that’s just frickin’ fantastic. Trust me, pal, you got nothing to worry about in the looks department.”

Dogmeat: What kind of pupper would he be if he didn’t love Sole with all his little doggy heart? There is no inch of Sole not worth licking and snuggling and smiling at. Sole is flawless in his eyes. No question.

Hancock: “Sole, look at me.” He points to his dry, peeling skin, his all-black eyes, and wiry form. “If I can be a wasteland sex symbol, you have gotta be at least second place.” He grins. “You got nothin’ to worry about, doll. Whatever shit they told you Pre-War, it’s all lies. Here.” His grin widens. “Let me kiss it better, to prove it.”

Nick Valentine: “I’m not sure what it is you think you’ve gotta be insecure about,” he says, very solemnly, “but look at me. I’m a sentient mannequin. How could you think you’re less beautiful than I am?” He takes one of Sole’s hands in his. “If you can live with being around my ugly mug, then you’ve got no reason not to smile at the mirror every morning.”

MacCready: His eyes nearly bug out of his skull. “You think you’re…?” He shakes his head. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. I mean- uh- sorry. But, just-” He gestures to Sole in frustration, cheeks coloring. “Look at you! You’re like- I don’t even know. I grew up in a cave living on wall fungus, for crap’s sake. Compared to me, you’re…”

Piper: “Oh my god.” She takes it as a personal offense. Her idea of helping is to have a ‘fashion show,’ and forces Sole into all kinds of outfits. “Beautiful,” she says, no matter how silly the clothes are. “All of it. Gorgeous. Can’t find fault. You’re a supermodel, Sole, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” She doesn’t stop until Sole is blushing and smiling and finally admits they look nice.

Preston: “Oh, Sole. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” The first thing he does is hug them, gently stroking their hair and offering comfort. “You’re one of the strongest, bravest people I’ve ever met. Maybe you don’t look perfect - though I’d definitely argue otherwise - but you deserve all the happiness in the world. Don’t let your worries to get to you.”

X6-88: He gives them a once-over that seems cold at first. Then, it’s almost like he’s seeing Sole for the first time. “You are fine,” he says, as if that’s enough. But it isn’t, not quite, so reluctantly he takes a breath and mumbles under his breath. “You’re… physically capable, and… not, physically, ah. Not physically unattractive. I suppose. In my opinion.”

Author’s Note: Being that @maddie110201 and @ninja-stiles are two of my favorite human beings and they are hosting a Dave Hodgman Week, I naturally had to participate. I haven’t actually seen the movie, but they’re my girls, you know? You do what you gotta do for your people. This is my attempt at Dave. I hope you all enjoy :)

Additional Note: I have said it once, I’ll say it a thousand times, I will never write any Dylan character as anything less than a rabid Mets fan. It’s just how it goes.

“Oh.. no.. please don’t put that there.. it’s closed.. for a reas….” You sighed as you stood up, leaning your head to the side as to not bash it on the low ceilings.

“Uh, umm.. but, uhhh…”

You sighed again, more exasperated than anything else. You could always easily spot someone who didn’t fly as often as you did. “Is it heavy?” You stared at his backpack in his hand.

“No.” He shook his head, a sweet ’puppy dog who had just gotten whacked over the nose with a newspaper’ look gracing his handsome face.

“Can I?” You held your hand out, barely touching one of the straps on his bag. He nodded and let go of it. You judged the weight and deemed it as not that heavy. You handed it back to him and sat back down in your seat. “Can you just close the compartment again after you put it up there?” He nodded and lifted the bag over his head. Please don’t let him sit next to me. I cannot be stuck on a plane with this idiot for twelve hours. Please, airline gods. I don’t ask for much, just don’t crash and kill me and don’t let him sit down next to me.

He sat down next to you, and you rolled your eyes at the airline gods, hoping that that was the only promise that they would break that day. You went to place your headphones back over your ears when you heard his voice again. “What?” You said, pulling your headphones around the back of your neck, annoyed.

Hello there, I have recently watched one of your animatics based on the Heather Movie Musical. Seeing the glass half full, your art-style, even having origins in anime-esque styles, is great in terms of what you can do. However, and this is a problem I see with every animatic, is that most of the quality is sacrificed for the sake of efficiency of output. Animatics are supposed to be used by the animator to outline their animations and as a reference rather than a gauge of interest. (part 1)

foxofgrey75 said:This is why most animation studios don’t often release animatics since they are meant to be done in haste. And I’m not saying that your art is lower quality because of it, I’m saying that animatics shouldn’t be posted until the full animation is done so that you don’t overload your audience (which you could also use a Patreon with the sort of fans that do want to see that content). (part 2)

theres a reason why i post them actually!! the reason is that i can’t/am unable to animate them

reasons why i can’t being i don’t have any easy animation programs, i don’t have the time to learn how to use any/i don’t have the time to actually animate them/i don’t have the patience to, i’ll lose even more sleep than i already am(knowing myself)

don’t get me wrong though, i’d love to animate them!! and i really wish i could but i just can’t gfbjsfdh

Here are some links to articles on sigil crafting, the last one being a full book:
(x)
(x)
(x)
(x)
(x)

My method of sigil making is as follows:

I come up with a statement of intent - essentially what I want my sigil to do for me. For example I’ll use “The book in which this sigil is written cannot be lost or stolen.” You can use anything, like “I am passing my history final” or “I have an abundance of self esteem” or “I am confident and calm in social situations.” Basically whatever you need. (I try to use present tense phrases since it lets the sigil know it’s “happening” right now, so the sigil will work right now. Stuff like “I will” ends up being really vague; like, sure you will, but you never know when you will, right? The sigil could work, but not for like years down the road.)

I then take my statement and I cross out any duplicate letters; I’ve seen many sources say vowels too but I (personally) keep them. So, with the statement “The book in which this sigil is written cannot be lost or stolen,” you remove duplicate letters and are left with “THEBOKINWCSGLRA.”

From there I break down the letters even further, into basic lines and shapes. You don’t necessarily need to do this, but I find it a lot easier to make sigils sometimes with the shapes and not whole letters. So, “THEBOKINWCSGLRA” breaks down into | - / \ C O ~ .

Once I have my pieces ready I start sketching. I keep my intent in mind as I come up with different designs - sometimes it comes to me on the first try, sometimes I have to go through ten designs to get what I like. I usually end up doing between 3-6 designs on average. Even if I get one I like on the first try, I keep going, in case I find one I love even more later on. With “The book in which this sigil is written cannot be lost or stolen” I did three sketches:

I pick my favorite design from the sketches - which is the third design - and then I do a step that’s personal to me. I scan it onto my computer and I make a digital copy in Paint Tool SAI. This is something I like to do, and doesn’t necessarily need to be done for a sigil to work. I do this since I love the neat clean edges I can get with a drawing program, and I consider myself a bit of an artist. I like doing things on my computer as well. I feel like redoing the sigil again also sort of “solidifies” it a bit more, or puts emphasis on it. Plus it looks better to upload it to Tumblr. ;) Anyway, so after I spend another half hour neatening it up in Paint Tool SAI I am left with my completed sigil:

From there I would charge it, but that’s another topic.

Here are some tips for sigil crafting (just because yeah):

Start with a basic method and go from there. I know, lame, but once you know what you’re doing when it comes to sigils, you can start branching off and incorporating other things into your process. You can start using other alphabets, or making sigils without writing down the statement, or whatever you want to do to personalize the process.

Trust your instincts. Your gut feeling is important in magic, and it is in sigil making too. You feel like you don’t need that S in there? Don’t put it. If you feel like you need this specific shape right there, and nothing else? That’s what goes there. It is important that you like the design, so it resonates with you.

Don’t get frustrated and impatient if you can’t get an attractive design on your first try. It can take some time to come up with a sigil you like. It took me TEN TRIES to get a decent looking sigil once, and there have been cases where I still don’t LOVE a design. It takes time and practice to know what shapes look good together where, or how to arrange things to look appealing to you.

I’m so glad you wrote that defense of evgenia because the hate she gets has been insane and makes me very uncomfortable. I’ll admit I didn’t like her very much at first, but her skating’s really grown on me, so now whenever I see unnecessary evgenia hate, I’m indignant on her behalf, and I make gifs of her to spite the haters ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I don’t get them: don’t like the skater, blacklist/don’t enter the tag. It’s not that hard, esp since a constructive discussion clearly isn’t gonna happen.

oh and I wanted to add that I like your evgenia edits and I know she doesn’t really have a consistent Tumblr “fanbase” and I appreciate you taking up the mantle (unofficially)??? your blog’s been so great: I came for yuzu and I stayed for your sincere appreciation of skaters. Keep fighting the good fight my pal! 🤙🤙

Thank you! And I am so glad I’m not the only weird one who likes to make gifs as a way to annoy anti fans and haters. I do love to be contradictory, me. So, sure, bring it on, I will gif at least one performance from every competition Janny does this season. Her programs are, blessedly, quite easy to gif, as they’re full of transitions and jumps done properly out of steps, unlike some other sad crossover-filled stuffs we see on the circuit these days. As you so rightly pointed out, anyone who doesn’t want to see her can easily blacklist the tag, no big deal.

P.S. I love your Janny edits too!

Anonymous said:

Whoa. I came on your blog (which has recently very quickly become one of my favs btw) and was like, what’s with the sudden onslaught of Evgenia hate!? O.o Then I finished reading the post and I gotta congratulate you on that mic drop. Whether one likes her skating or not, she deserves the highest respect because she works incredibly hard (as Eteri pointed out in a new interview - nobody works harder than her apparently) and as a result she’s pushing boundaries. People just gotta deal with it.

Thank you, I am very glad you like my blog and I apologize for the sudden drama - it was partially my fault to begin with, I was practically begging for it, as you can see :)) Yes, I totally agree with you, whether or not to like a skater is up to each’s personal taste, and freedom of speech means anyone can criticize any skater they dislike, but it doesn’t, and shouldn’t, mean that we have to put up with blatant disrespect and unreasonable hatred.

Anonymous said:

I just read your post on Evgenia and to anon who asks why everyone hates her and not Yuzuru … lbr, there’s also some sexism and jealousy involved. Evgenia is a pretty girl and a super consistent skater who seems to get along with pretty much everyone - that also includes Yuzuru. And *many* of her haters are also hardcore Yuzuru stans so .. you do the math :) and to you: keep up the good work, your posts are always a joy to read, especially for those of us who aren’t so technique-savvy! ♥

Anonymous said:

Conspiracy theory: People are hating on Evgenia cause she’s so consistent (but seriously though, what’s her secret???), she’s breaking all those records set by Yuna and Mao (okay I’m a bit bitter about this), and she’s Yuzuru’s friend?!? (as in she tends to be around him a lot when they meet) 😱😱😱

I’ve vented my thought on the pointless practice of comparing Janny against Yuna/Mao here so I won’t do it again. As for the other points, on sexism and jealousy, yes, I have to admit, those are things (1) I am aware of but (2) I hate and (3) I try to deny because I don’t want to even begin to think that people can be so small-minded and ignorant.

On the first point, let’s just say I truly believe if Janny had been a guy, or if the demographic of the skating fandom had been more gender-neutral, she wouldn’t have received nearly a quarter of the criticism and animosity she’s getting now.

On the second point, about people hating Janny because she gets along well with Yuzu, let us for one moment try to be rational about it. It’s no secret that Yuzu is a skater Janny admires. I don’t see how, in any universe, there can be anything remotely wrong with her trying to be friendly with him or talking to him or giving him presents, especially when Yuzu himself doesn’t seem to be the tiniest bit bothered by it. Also, it’s Yuzuru Hanyu, people, aside from Extra, Sunny Disposition is his other middle name. Have you seen him at galas or some such? He gets along well with literally everybody and he enjoys it. If you by default develop a sense of hostility for anyone who manages to be the target of Yuzu’s affection, that’d mean almost any human or animal who has ever been within a 1-meter radius around him. If by chance Yuzu has ever shown to be a tiny little bit nicer to Janny, isn’t it also quite understandable? She’s a good skater and I bet Yuzu does know good skating when he sees it, bless his taste. She seems such a sweet girl off ice and of freaking course she’s so damn pretty. Why on this good face of Earth would a 22-year-old healthy non-psychotic dude be anything less than perfectly happy about getting the attention of such a lady?

But, oh well, as said, that’s what you’d see if you’re being rational. What you’d see if you are not, I don’t know and I really don’t want to know.

Here’s Janny and Yuzu hugging because why ever the hell not?

(and I’d like to point out the very important technical detail of the Yuzuru Hanyu initiating the hug in the first place)

Yes!!! Do you have any interest in writing a NurseyDex continuation of your Sprezzatura 'verse? If not, hit me up with some competence kink - Dex POV of Nursey, or Falcs' POV of Bitty, or Jack, or whomever strikes your fancy; I'm so easy. :D

So, uh, this one got long. Here’s a continuation of the Sprezzatura ’verse.

Derek consciously told himself to
unclench his teeth and relax his jaw. He hated calculus. So much. His brain simply refused to work the way the book and the professor seemed to think it
should and he just needed to get through this class and then he’d have completed his
stupid math requirement and never have to worry about it again. But first he
had to pass it.

He was going to have to ask for
help.

He hated asking for help.

He was going to do it anyway. You don’t have to be perfect at everything,
he reminded himself. He was still clenching his teeth again when he texted Dex,
though.

Ice: Yo, can you help me with calc?

Fire: Be there in ~15 mins. Need help with English anyway.

Derek sat back in his chair and scrubbed
his hands over his face, then rolled his neck from side to side a few times and
shook out his arms, trying to just fucking chill
already. He found one of his wordless playlists to put on and tried to at least
review the examples again before Dex got there so maybe he wouldn’t seem like a
complete idiot. Ugh, he hated math.

Well, no, he just hated calculus.
Or rather, the way calculus made him feel. He had never found a way to make
calculus appear effortless for him, and he was getting really tired of grinding
his teeth.

He was glad to get up and answer
the door when Dex knocked. “C’mon in, man, you can sit wherever. My roommate
has a new girlfriend, so he won’t care.”

Dex frowned at the thought of
sitting on someone else’s bed without permission and dumped his bag on Derek’s
bed instead. Which Derek had known he would do. He bit back a grin.

Ugh so I’m kinda frustrated about my Spanish class lol and I need to rant 😂 basically I really want to learn Spanish because 1.) I want to be able to talk to my grandparents in Spanish! They speak English too but I want to surprise them one day with BOOM fluent Spanish you know? 2.) I want to learn because I know we have a lot of viewers who speak Spanish but don’t speak English!

So basically I’m sitting in class today taking a quiz that I studied hard for and I start to tear up because I can’t remember several words and I come to a realization of “This is not how a language should be taught!” I’m sitting there panicking because I can’t remember simple words! It’s almost like I’m gonna end up hating Spanish because of stress and how I can’t remember words. Our teacher (she’s very sweet and amazing) moves so fast like I literally just learn how to say “step brother” and then we’re on a new chapter.

I can understand a lot of Spanish and I do know a lot of words but I can’t speak it and ugh it’s so frustrating.

My mom speaks Spanish fluently and she helps me with hw or else it’ll take me about 5 hours to do it and sometimes it seems like she wants to say “come on it’s so simple!” Ahhhh but it’s so hard for meeeee 😭😭😭 if I could learn And teach myself spanish at my own pace, I could learn it faster and better. For example, some of you may or may not know but I’m really into kpop lol. So one day I was literally like “hmm… I wanna learn Korean!” Now, I don’t know Korean fluently, but I know a ton of basics like Hello, goodbye, good night, where is the milk 😂 lol things like that but literally I can read anything in Korean. Idk what I’m reading most of the time but I know how to read it! I learned how to read Korean in 2 days. It was so easy to learn because I did it my own pace and at my own time.

So my overall point I guess is that if you want to learn a language, taking a class for school is not the only way to do it. Do it on your own. There are a ton of programs out there that teach languages. Obviously I am learning some Spanish in this class but not the right way, in my opinion. Some people may find it easier to learn another language in a class room with other people! But for me… nope it’s so hard ugh. But I will keep pushing and not give up!! Anyways I’m done ranting about Spanish… Thanks for reading my rant lol. I love you guys or should I say te amo! ❤️ OR 사랑해 ❤️😂
~ nessa

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, especially with the last ask I got. I know many of my followers here are looking to get into marine sciences, or are looking to start college, or some variation of those things. So I’ve decided to make a post with some helpful tips based on my own experiences as a marine bio. graduate.

1. Make sure you are passionate about the subject you are studying. The sciences are a difficult but rewarding route to take, but you won’t get very far if you are not driven. It’s also very competitive, make sure you are ready to handle that outside of the college setting. (There is no shame in switching majors if you have to. This is your life, do something that you can get excited about.)

2. Get an internship, or do volunteer work if you can. Having those practical skill will be an asset, and you can network/make connections in the industry.

3. I can just about guarantee that your school offers research/lab work opportunities, however you might not be able to find out about them unless you ask the right people. Talk to your classmates, and talk to your professors (not just your advisor becasue a lot of times they don’t know everything the school has to offer) about what opportunities are available.

4. Marketable Skills!!!! Just being able to say “I know about/am knowledgeable about X.” is usually not enough. You want to be able to say “I can do X and have Y experience doing so.” This will make you a stronger candidate in the job market. Take lots of lab classes, and classes with field work if you school offers them. You can file this under Course Experience on your resume (and it’s totally legit).

After I graduated, I spent a year working in the “real world” and after that year I had to reevaluate my situation. I was extremely unhappy with where I was and all of my efforts to get into more “serious” marine science work I had attempted had failed miserably (not for lack of skills/knowledge, it’s a complicated situation that I will not get into now). I made the tough decision to go back to school and get a second bachelor’s degree in teaching. I am about half way through that program now, and I am so happy that I made this choice. I enjoy educating people, and I find it so rewarding. It’s challenging, but I’m enjoying it and I’ve had some unexpected but amazing opportunities open up for me.

Sometimes making those kind of decisions can seem so incredibly daunting, it almost makes you feel sick to your stomach. I’ve never felt a greater sense of relief than when I finally decided to change directions ever so slightly. Here’s the thing though: I probably would not have done any of it if I hadn’t gone through and failed horribly and miserably first. I am not happy looking back on that year, but I am no less grateful for the experiences because they have shaped who I am now and who I am becoming.

Yuzuru gave an interview after the 3-day Makuhari run of Fantasy on Ice, published in the pamphlet of FaOI in KOBE. He talks about Chopin Ballade No.1, his short program for the upcoming Olympic season, as continuation and culmination of everything he’s learned from figure skating; his concept of live performance and ichi go ichi e (一期一会); and shares his thoughts about what an ice show and its audience mean to him (aw :’)).

Translated by gladi, feel free to repost with credits. Original scans thanks to Frances.

Interview・Toshimi Oriyama

“In order to show the best performance at Fantasy on Ice, always keeping ‘this is the real thing!’ in spirit and in mind"

For Yuzuru Hanyu, who hadn’t been able to participate last year due to injuries, it has been two years since his last Fantasy On Ice. Landing a 4T right off the bat and more at the opening show in Makuhari, he radiated exuberance as he threw heart and soul into his performance.

I took the final, and I have done it very, very well. I am soo happy, and I am not only because the exam went pretty well but because how I felt during said exam.

It is just that I have been working on not feeling insecure in exams, and feel pretty confident instead. I mean, when I saw what I had to do (in Haskell and then in Java), I couldn’t be able to hide my joy: the exam was the same I did a few days ago, and one of the functions was the one I thought last night (see my last post). But them I saw the structures were so different and when I read what I had to do, I realized that the exam wasn’t the same, just kind of similar.

So I had 3 hours to figure everything out, and then code in Haskell and Java. Programming in Haskell is one of my stregth, so that is what I did first. I was almost done with that part and there were 2 hours left. But when I saw the Java code… it was totally different from what we did in class. We needed to code the structures, whereas in class, professors gave us the structures. At that point I was almost sure I was going to fail, retake the class, and for a few minutes, I saw myself in some situations: telling to my parents I didn’t do very well, to my friends, to my professor, to myself, taking the class again. At this stage I always feel everything is fucked and I can’t do anything. But I calmed myself down, and I remembered that I can do that, I am pretty versed in data structures, I have coded lots of them. And I pushed my brain to work harder and dismiss my lack of confidence. One hour and a half later, I had the exam almost done and still half an hour to revise what I did and try to code two functions.

So what I have been working on during summer is going pretty well. I am changing, step by step, my mind. It doesn’t mean that from now I am not going to feel insecure about an exam anymore. I am, but hopefully less and less. Until these thoughts disappear.

So, as you see, this exam boosted my confidence. I can do whatever. And that is what I feel so happy today.

as much as a meme guy fieri is, hes just so good. hes so positive, doesnt really judge anyone, all he does is having fun & helping people with their businesses by just visiting them! i recently found out that my tv cable has food network and since theyre too lazy to dub over most programs (im from a non english country) half of them are guy's programs and im not even mad, hes embarassing but genuinely entertaining to watch

YES and he’s done so much for a lot of small businesses it’s so heartwarming. he’s also very humble imo and always hypes up the people around him i am so pro-guy fieri